RTA Announces Public Comment Period for Community Planning Program of Projects
January 10, 2020
January 10, 2020
Contact: Susan Massel, Director of Marketing and Communications
312-913-3256 massels@RTAchicago.org
Chicago, IL –The Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) announces the opening of the public comment period for nine projects chosen from among 14 applications submitted to the RTA’s Community Planning Program during a solicitation last September 17 through October 17. The applications were vetted by a project selection team composed of staff from the RTA with feedback solicited from the RTA Service Boards and other technical assistance providers.
The RTA's Community Planning program offers technical assistance to local governments and intergovernmental organizations to address local planning needs that intersect public transportation and land use. Through this assistance, the RTA encourages municipalities in the region to develop walkable and more sustainable communities near transit stations and along transit corridors. Eligible activities include transit-oriented development (TOD) plans, transit corridor plans, TOD zoning code updates, TOD developer discussion panels, transit neighborhood mobility improvement plans, plans to develop special funding districts in transit areas, and other innovative implementation approaches. The Community Planning program strives to not just plan for the future, but to provide assistance that achieves results.
The nine projects recommended are described in more detail on our website, www.rtachicago.org/cp. Comments on these projects may be submitted to applications@rtachicago.org through February 8, 2020. The final Community Planning program of projects will be announced February 20 at the RTA Board of Directors meeting.
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Applicant |
Project Type |
Project Description |
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Developer Discussion Panel |
The Village requests a Developer Discussion Panel be convened to assist its efforts to attract transit- oriented development (TOD) at a vacant ~6-acre site located directly adjacent to the Metra Electric Ashland Avenue station. The Village would like to benefit from developer expertise on how to attract and consider development proposals that optimize the neighboring transit asset and align with local and regional goals. |
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Transit Corridor Plan |
The City requests support and assistance from the RTA and CMAP with a city-led initiative to provide transformative changes along neglected commercial corridors within select south and west community areas. Work along the high-priority corridors would include identifying ways for focusing resources and priorities to the benefit of the communities. |
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Transit Improvement Plan |
The CTA is seeking funding to develop a framework for bus enhancements that identifies key routes for improvements and concepts to make bus service a more attractive travel option in the North Branch area of Chicago. The plan would be developed in coordination with other transportation analyses in the corridor and include a study of a new transitway connecting the area to downtown. The combined analyses would provide guidance for the City and developers and would facilitate implementation for a program of transportation improvements that can accommodate the expected growth in the area. |
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Developer Discussion Panel |
This project will assist the 45th Ward with a Developer Discussion Panel to gather guidance and advice from development experts. The objective is to attract development to vacant sites and encourage infill development. The Developer Discussion Panel will help the Ward Alderman and the City determine goals and needs in order to best utilize vacant land along North Milwaukee Avenue near the Jefferson Park CTA Transportation Center. |
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DuPage County Mobility Plan |
DuPage County is seeking to develop its first county-wide mobility plan. The plan would be multi-modal in nature, analyze current gaps in the transportation network, respond to the changing transportation market and address the needs of employers in the County to attract quality labor at all employment levels. |
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TOD Plan |
The Village is seeking assistance to develop a TOD plan for the areas near the Elburn Metra station and downtown Elburn. Plan objectives include identifying ways to unify the downtown business district with TOD development south of the station into a connected and vibrant area that serves the entire town, is an area shopping and dining destination, and incorporates the Metra station as a focal point. |
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TOD Zoning Code Update |
Hanover Park requests assistance to update the zoning code for it’s Village Center TOD area in an effort to enable the type of development envisioned in its TOD Plan. Zoning revisions would address parking requirements, number of dwelling units per acre, allowable land uses and the development review process. |
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Harvey TOD Plan Update |
The City is requesting an update to its TOD Plan that was completed in 2005 for areas surrounding the Harvey Transportation Center, including the Metra station, the adjacent civic campus and points west to connect to residential areas and the University of Chicago Medicine Ingalls Memorial Hospital. The plan would address population loss, leverage improvements underway at the Transportation Center and provide new insights to high-density, transit-supportive, quality infill development. |
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TOD Plan Update |
The Village is requesting an update to its TOD plan that was completed in 2002 for the University Park Metra station. The study would include an analysis of surrounding land uses and zoning codes, local road safety improvements and a last mile mobility strategy. |
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